Net-to-Gross Calculator

Use it when reviewing a job offer or negotiating a salary — when you want to first decide on your target monthly take-home and then find out what gross annual salary you need. Because companies quote salaries on a gross basis, reverse-calculating from your target net income helps you set a concrete minimum threshold for salary negotiations.

Because income tax uses a progressive rate structure, you can't simply reverse-calculate a target take-home with arithmetic. This calculator uses binary search — iteratively narrowing gross salary candidates until the result after deducting national insurance and income tax matches your target. This means it stays accurate even across tax-bracket boundaries where the marginal rate changes.

Negotiate on gross salary — that's the standard employers use — but anchor your floor with a reverse calculation. Figure out your target take-home first, reverse-calculate the required gross (e.g., 'I need at least ₩49M gross to clear ₩3.5M/month'), then enter negotiations with that concrete number. Also clarify whether non-taxable allowances like meal and commuting subsidies are included, since they can meaningfully raise your effective take-home without changing the stated gross.

This reverse calculator assumes 1 dependent (self only). More dependents reduce income tax withholding under Korea's simplified withholding table, meaning you could achieve the same take-home with a lower gross salary. Use the Salary Calculator to fine-tune the result by adjusting your number of dependents.

Use the required salary figure from the reverse calculation as your negotiation floor. You can also quickly assess the real take-home value of a gross salary the other party proposes. Keep in mind that whether non-taxable allowances (such as meal and commuting subsidies) are included can affect take-home even with the same stated gross salary.

The Net-to-Gross Calculator takes your desired monthly take-home as input and reverse-calculates the gross annual salary needed. The Salary Calculator works in the forward direction — you enter a gross annual salary and it calculates deductions and monthly take-home. Use the Net-to-Gross Calculator when your goal is defined in take-home terms, and use the Salary Calculator when you want to evaluate a specific salary offer.

Yes. Non-taxable allowances such as meal subsidies and vehicle allowances are excluded from taxable income, which can lower the gross salary needed to reach a given take-home target. This reverse calculator assumes zero non-taxable allowances, so if you receive such benefits, your actual required gross salary may be lower than shown. For a more precise result, enter your non-taxable allowance in the Salary Calculator.

Each company structures pay differently — the mix of base salary, bonuses, and non-taxable allowances varies widely. This calculator uses the standard 100% withholding rate, and actual income tax is reconciled at year-end tax settlement. For an accurate comparison, ask the company for a sample payslip, or enter your non-taxable allowance details into the full salary calculator.

This is caused by the progressive income tax structure. As your take-home target rises, you enter higher tax brackets, so the gross salary needed grows faster than the take-home increase itself. For example, adding ₩1 million to your monthly take-home requires a larger gross increase at higher salary levels than at lower ones. Move the slider upward and watch how the marginal tax rate badge on the result card changes.

A good starting point is to add up your fixed expenses — rent, living costs, phone bills — to find your minimum required amount. Enter that figure in the slider to reverse-calculate the gross salary you need, giving you a realistic floor for salary negotiations. Adding your savings target on top gives you a concrete negotiation figure to aim for.